Eobbet hoffman



(No Model.)

B. HOFFMAN.

WIOK TRIMMER. I No. 307,547. Patented Nov. 4, 1884.

WITNESSES INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

NITED STATES ROBERT HOFFMAN, OF OOHOES, NEV YORK.

WlCK TRlll/llVlER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 307,547, dated November 4, 1884.

Application filed March 15, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT HOFFMAN, of Oohoes, Albany county, New York, have in vented a new and Improved WVick-Trimmer, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved device for trimming wicks and holding them while they are being clipped and trimmed.

The invention consists in the combination, with a pair of shears, of a clamp for pressing the wick against one of the blades,and of a lever for acting on the said clamp to press its inner edge piece from the edge of the blade, to

. permit passing the wick in between the edge of the blade and the clamp.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

Figurel is a plan view of my improved wicktrimmer, showing it opened; and Fig. 2 is a view showing it closed, inverted.

The wick-shears Aare provided on one blade, A, with the flange B, forming a pan for receiving the refuse cut from the wick.

On the under side of the blade A a clamp, O, is held by a screw or pintle, D, passed through alongitudinal slot, E, in an arm, F, of the clamp, thus permitting the clamp to slide on the under side of the blade A. The inner edge piece of the clamp O is adapted to be moved a short distance from the inner edge of the blade, so that the upper end of the wick can be passed in between the inner edge piece of the clamp and the inner edge of the blade A. A spring, H, acting on the outer end of the arm F, presses the inner edge piece of the clamp O toward the adjoining edge of the blade, and clamps the wick against the blade A, thus permitting of cutting the wick evenly and smoothly.

In order that the shears or scissors and the wick-holding clamp can be operated by one hand-that is, the hand holding the shears-I have provided a lever, J, pivoted on a projection or arm, K, projecting from the flange B, one end of which lever rests against the outer end of the arm F, or against a projection of the clamp O, and the opposite end of the lever J rests against the short end of a lever, B, pivoted on a projection or arm, L, of the blade A, a short distance inward from the inner end of the flange B. If the wick is to be held on the edge of the blade A, the inner and longer end of the lever B is pressed by one finger toward the blade A and its handle, and as the outer end lever, J, presses on the outer end of the arm F or projections of the clamp O, the inner edge piece of the clamp O is pressed from the inner edge of the blade, thus permitting the upper end of the wick to be passed in between the edge of the blade A and the inner edge piece of the clamp. If the lever B is released, the spring H, acting 011 the end lug of the arm F, clamps the wick against the blade A, so that the wick can be cut off evenly. If the wick is to be released after being cut, the lever B is pressed against the handle of the blade A, to press the inner edge piece of the clamp C from the edge ofthe blade A.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with a wick-trimmer provided with a clamp for pressing the wick against one of the blades, of a lever secured to one of the handles and operating independently thereof, for forcing the clamp out of contact with the blade, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a wick-trimmer, one of the blades of which is provided with a spring-clamp for pressing the wick inward against the blade, of a lever pivoted to the blade carrying the clamp, and bearing against the outer end of the clamp, for overcoming the action of the spring to admit the wick, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with a pair of shears, of a clamp for pressing the wick against the edge of one of the blades, the lever J, pivoted on a projection of the outer edge of the blade,

and of the lever It, adapted to act on the lever J, and to be acted on by one of the fingers, substantially as herein shown and described.

ROBERT HOFFMAN. 

